Urban Informatics

Unique Features

• Unrivaled experiential learning opportunities. The National Capital Region becomes your classroom to observe and study today's challenges in conjunction with local agencies, companies, and nonprofits.
• Students can earn a graduate certificate at no extra cost in these focus areas: public policy analysis, nonprofit sector, philanthropy and social change, and urban studies. 
• Students may choose a concentration in climate and resilience, communities and economic development, and transportation and infrastructure, or design their own concentration.
• Unique interdisciplinary approach: The program has a multidisciplinary integration of analytic skills and expert knowledge of contemporary urban policy and theory.
• Leading faculty: Hear from Dan O’Brien, who has contributed to the tools and ideas at the foundation of urban informatics in the program overview below. 
• Career-advancing degree: Apply skills learned in the program immediately to real-world social, infrastructural, and environmental challenges through cutting-edge research and capstone projects. Attract employers with an e-portfolio that showcases your accomplishments and professional capabilities in data analytics and informatics in the urban context.
• Connection with the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs: Be part of Northeastern University’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, housed within the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. The school is a hub of innovative, interdisciplinary research dedicated to solving issues in transportation, housing, community development, social and environmental justice, resilience, and sustainability at the local, state, national, and international levels.

Program Objectives

The MS in Urban Informatics requires students to complete 33 total semester hours (35 with optional co-op). The coursework is structured around four interdisciplinary core courses and an additional 16 semester hours focused on urban-specific applications. The curriculum offers methodological rigor, a theoretical framework, and opportunities for applied experiences. 

The UI Core

The four interdisciplinary core courses in data science/analytics are a foundation for the degree. Courses examine how data is collected, stored, and retrieved, how data can be extracted from large datasets, whether they are structured or unstructured, how to analyze information using data mining and machine learning, and how to use information design and visual analytics to analyze and present results. Students gain a working knowledge of “R,” an open source software for computational statistics, visualization, and graphic presentation.

Students learn about the major categories of urban data, develop specific spatial analytic and mapping skillsets, and apply these skills to urban policy and research questions. Assignments integrate the core course skills with urban data and policy questions. Students also develop a professional portfolio that can be presented to future employers.

The six courses beyond the data analytics core include three foundational courses that provide an overview of the field, a theoretical frame, and introductory geographic information systems skills.

Beyond the Core

All Students select two elective courses and the one-credit portfolio course which requires the submission of a portfolio with at least three completed projects.

Please refer to the Graduate Catalog for a full curriculum description.

About the Campus

Northeastern University aligns education and research with global and regional needs. In Arlington—a hub of technical innovation, security, defense, and policy—we partner with government, industry, and nonprofits to prepare learners for leadership in jobs of the future.

We’re centrally located in the heart of the National Capital Region in Rosslyn, one of Arlington County’s most vibrant neighborhoods at 17th Street North in the Arlington Tower. Our campus features state-of-the-art flexible learning spaces and areas to collaborate, study, network with peers or employers, and host or attend community events. Additionally, the building also includes a rooftop gathering space with stunning views of Arlington, VA, and Washington, DC. The campus is also home to the Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security.